The Unified Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Regulations for Healthcare Professionals in the GCC States

The Glossary (terms used in the regulations according to the following):

• Concerned Authorities: Authorities in the Arab GCC countries concerned for approving the activities of the continuing professional development of the healthcare professionals.
• The Organizing Parties: Institutions responsible for conducting the activities of the continuing professional development.
• The Activity: Scientific program of the activities of the continuing professional development in the field of health.
• Healthcare Professionals: Individuals licensed for practicing one of health professions.
• Technicians: Individuals with scientific certificates below a Bachelor’s degree.
• Other Applied Medical Professions: Individuals with Bachelor’s degree or more.

 

Article 1: Definition of Continuing Professional Development (CPD):

CPD is defined as educational and training activities that aim to provide individuals information and correct health-related skill to the healthcare professionals.

Article 2: Objectives of CPD:

1. Increase the efficiency and quality of the healthcare professionals in order to enhance the service provided to the patients.

2. Preserve the medical and scientific knowledge of the healthcare professionals.

3. Allow healthcare professionals to follow updated modern practices in their specialties in order to improve their skills and expertise.

 

Article 3: Classification of CPD Organizers Concerned with the Activities and Websites:

A – The authorities that organize the activities are divided into 3 categories:

1st Category: Institutions that are able to provide all categories of CPD activities and obtain the highest level of accreditation that is 30 educational hours. These institutions include:

1. Ministries of Health in the GCC countries and other related health organizations.

2. Professional scientific health societies.

3. Faculties of medicine and other health educational institutions either in the public or private sector.

4. Large government hospitals that accommodate more than 400 beds.

5. Specialized hospitals and health centers.

6. Central health administrations and the medical affairs.

 

2nd Category: Public and private hospitals that accommodate between 100 to 399 beds and can provide the lectures, symposia, and workshops. These do not exceed 20 educational hours per activity, in addition to the internal activities. Authorities in this category can participate in activities to obtain more educational hours like conferences by collaborating with the professional scientific health societies and the faculties of health in the universities and specialized hospitals.

 

3rd Category: Other parties concerned in the field of health like: the public and private health institutes, the governmental health centers, centers licensed by specialized authorities to offer CPD activities, professional health scientific clubs, etc. Parties in this category can offer the presentations and symposia, as well as specialized and general workshops that do not exceed 10 educational hours per activity.

 

B – Organizations that are not authorized to provide activities:

1.  Medical and pharmaceutical companies and corporations of medical equipments and medications.

2.  Private and governmental sectors not specialized in the health fields.

3.  Medical and educational sectors not yet licensed for medical practice.

4.  Charity medical institutions.

 

Article 4: Rules for Accrediting CPD Organizers to Develop their Activities:

A – Parties responsible for organizing activities should ensure:

1.  A formal application to the concerned authorities in the country should be submitted to approve the organizing party that is able to deliver CPD activities through filling the necessary documents.

2.  Commitment to provide the necessary quality of the specific activities of the organizing party according to the approved certificate issued for it.

3.  The organizing party should be among the categories specified in this code of regulations.

4. Commitment to all the directions and general specifications issued in this code of regulations.

5.  Commitment to the renewal of the necessary licenses for the organizing parties every 5 years at least 3 months before the date of expiry.

 

B – The organizing parties preparing the websites’ activities should ensure:

1.  The applying party is specialized and qualified in the medical field.

2.  A formal application should be filled and submitted with an attached specific plan about the project and the availability of the application form.

3.  Paying the necessary fees specified by the concerned authorities in each country in order to establish the website.

4.  The website meet the quality standards and the technical specifications in terms of the design and that it is owned by the applying party.

5.  To be an interactive website that connects the recipients with the service provider. 6. There must be an administrator responsible for the website who provides a clear specific mechanism for contact.

7.  Provision of the computer center that includes qualified personnel with necessary technical hardware and software supports.

8.  Provision of contracts for participating lecturers and technical personnel.

9.  The website has to provide the necessary procedures for registering in and acceptance to the activity.

 

10.  Provision of a mechanism that ensures attendance to the activity and measures benefits gained by the healthcare professionals after completing the activity.

11.  Provision for maximum number of hours allowed for every category of healthcare professionals according to the table (Article 14).

12.  Approval from the concerned authority in the country in order to post any promotions on the websites.

13.  The license of the website is valid only for 1 year provided that it is revaluated every 2 years thereafter.

 

Article 5: Classification of CPD Activities and their Types:

The CPD activities are classified to category 1 and category 2. Each category involves specific types of the CPD activities according to the following:

Category 1: includes:

• Conference: is an open scientific meeting, previously announced, and during which various research and scientific papers are reviewed in different scientific subjects and related topics by different scientists and specialists in the field through direct presentation. An organizing committee and a specialized scientific committee has the responsibility of reviewing the submitted scientific material for acceptance, and nominating the lecturers. The conference usually concludes with certain recommendations that are forwarded to the concerned institutions to make the most proper decisions. The conference is called international if external scientific parties from abroad participate such as the scientific societies, universities, and the international health specialized institutions. An application letter should be submitted from the participating parties to the concerned agencies to illustrate the best way for mutual cooperation.
• Symposium: is a specialized scientific meeting delivered through lectures to discuss a certain subject or subjects in the same specialization for a specific period of time.
• Training course: is an organized program that consists of a group of theoretical lectures that might be supplemented by other practical applications to gain new skills or improve specified skills in specific period of time and provided by specialized lecturers and trainers who are nominated by the organizer of this activity.
• Specialized workshop: is a specialized practical training mixed with some short lectures for a category of the healthcare professionals in their specialty or related to the medical education such as: evidence-based medicine and scientific research approaches.
• Scientific publication and review: are provision and publication of certified scientific articles.

 

Category 2: includes:

• General workshop: includes lectures, scientific training, and scientific discussions in general or specific subjects out of the specializations of the healthcare professionals. These activities aim to improve their general skills such as: communication skills and activities related to health education, field of administration and health leadership.
• Seminar: A meeting for a category of healthcare professionals to discuss a specific topic through reviewing scientific articles and discussing clinical cases.
• Internal activity: Educational and training activity that is practiced usually in the governmental or private health institutions. The activity is normally presented by the professionals working in the department to their field or to professionals from other departments. This activity may include discussion of clinical cases, review of scientific articles, or conduct regular weekly or monthly lectures through the year, or any other activities.
• Distance Learning: Scientific activities that are provided in the health field through websites specialized in online activities within and outside the country, having accreditation of the concerned     authorities       in       the    country       to      provide       online         activities.

 

Article 6: Mechanism for Reserving Conferences:

1.  Organizers must submit a request for a preliminary approval to arrange a conference at least 6 months before the date of commencement and determine its specialization (general and specific), as well as the conference objectives and date.

2.  The period between conferences in the same specialty should be at least 3 months. Concerned authority in each country is responsible to organize this issue, and announce about the dates of these conferences in its website.

3.  In the event the initial approval by the concerned authority is notified by the organizer of the conference.

4.  In case of changing the dates or schedule of conferences, the concerned authority should be notified in advance to enable others to apply.

 

Article 7: Rules for the Approval of Activities and Websites Submitted by CPD Organizers:

 

A- Activities provided by the organizers:

1.  The organizer should hold a valid reference number provided by the concerned authority in the country.

2.  The application for accrediting a CPD activity by the administration responsible for activities in the organizing party is authorized to distribute certificates of attendance.

3.  Activities to be submitted for accreditation should be progressive rather than rehabilitative and to serve the professional need.

4.  The content of the provided activity with its objectives to be clearly stated, as well as the target audience.

5.  The request should be submitted via the electronic system no later than 4 weeks from the date of the activity.

6.  The plan of the internal activity should be submitted on semi-annual basis to be approved. This cannot be executed again until submission of a new request.

7.  The lecturer should be eligible and experienced in the field of the activity.

8.  In case the organizer wants to repeat the same activity more than once during the year, this stated at the time of application, as well as determine the date and place of re-activity and full payment of the prescribed fees by the concerned authority in each country every time the activity is repeated.

9.  Commitment to the implementation of the approved activity in the specified time and place should be followed. Repeating, postponing, and cancelling the activity, or making any changes in the approved content for any reason is not allowed unless the concerned authority in each country is notified at least 2 weeks before the date of commencement of the activity.

10.  The organizing party is committed to register the names of attendees and provide the concerned authority in each country with a list of the names of attendees according to the current system used.

11.  The organizing party is pledged to grant Certificate of Attendance only to those who proved presence of the approved activity.

 

B- Activities provided via websites:

1.  The scientific material should be directly related to the domain of health and is based on the latest scientific literature and main periodicals in its specialty.

2.  The applicant of the activity should be among the academics or professionals who have graduate studies in the field of the submitted scientific material with no less scientific degree of assistant professor or consultant in the area of specialization and whose autobiography is published online.

3.  Activities to provide clear scientific language.

4.  The scientific material should be presented in the format of scientific articles similar to what is published in specialized scientific journals with the references listed at the end of the article. This (the article) can also be provided through modern methods and techniques used in the field of distance learning.
 

5.  The presented scientific material of the activity should be evaluated and approved through an independent scientific committee formed by members of university professors or consultants who are in the same specialty and not less than 2 members all of whom are not involved in the direct management of the website or its owner.

6.  A mechanism to measure the attainment of the healthcare professionals after the end of the activity should be developed.

 

Article 8: Mechanism of Approving the Activities:

Each country develops its own mechanism to receive the application of accreditation for the educational activities.

 

Article 9: Mechanism for Calculating the Educational Hours:

The concerned authority in each country evaluate activities by specialty and the use of scientific committee if necessary to evaluate the content of the activity and provide educational credit time as follows:

1. The lecture is counted as a maximum of 1 hour.
2. The material provided online (through websites) will be accredited maximum of 1 hour.
3. All CPD activities in the two categories are accredited full time provided that the concerned authorities accept maximum of 40% of activities attended by the healthcare professionals in category 2.
4. Activities of more than 30 minutes are rounded up to a next right number after the completion of calculating total hours activity.
5. An activity is accredited maximum of 8 hours per day.
6. Activities that have parallel events at one time are accredited and calculated as only one event.
7. Authorship of a scientific book in the health field is accredited 10 hours for the 1st and 5 hours for the other authors given that a copy of the book is submitted. Authorship of a chapter/book chapter in the health field is accredited 5 hours for the 1st author, 3 hours for the 2nd author, and 2 hours for the other authors.
8. Publication of scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals is accredited 5 hours for the 1st author, 3 hours for the 2nd author, and 2 hours for the other authors.
9. Reviewing scientific research in the health field is accredited 1 hour per research review given attachments proof of the magazine/scientific journal to complete research review.
10. No time is calculated for introductions, prayer times, meals, examinations, closing ceremonies, and the distribution of certificates.
     

 

 

Article 10: Mechanism for Calculating the Educational Hours for Instructors:

The calculated CPD hours for a lecturer and a trainer is double the number of hours they actually presented with a maximum of 30 hours for the activity and not to repeat it for the same activity, taking into account providing proof of the participation.

 

Article 11: Fees:

According to their regulations, the concerned authority in each country determines the fees for the accreditation of the organizing parties of the activities as well as the accreditation fees for the activities.

 

Article 12: Activities that are Not Approved:

1.  Activities submitted for approval during or after their starting dates.

2.  If the lecturer is found not to be a qualified specialist in the lectures’ topics or does not have sufficient experience.

3.  Educational activities directed to the public or which have no direct relationship with the health domain.

4.  Preparatory programs for qualifying exams.

5.  Activities predominantly commercial and marketing.

6.  Activities with objectives that are not consistent with the target audience or with weak scientific content.

 

Article 13: Considerations that the Healthcare Professionals Should Take When Attending the Different Activities:

1.  Make sure that the activity is accredited by the concerned authority in the country.

2.  The activity targets the healthcare professionals within the types of activities contained in these regulations.

3.  Make sure to collect the minimum number of hours of the category 1 activities every year, according to what is shown in the table (Article 14).

4.  Make sure to obtain a certificate of attendance indicating the registration number and the date of accreditation of the activity as well as the number of hours and the authorized official signature of the activity organizer.

5.  The internal activity requires submitting a letter or a certificate provided by the academic affairs or the head of the department or the CPD coordinator in the organization indicating the number and date of accreditation and the actual number of hours of attendance during the year.

 

 

6.  Handwritten or scanned certificates are not accepted.

7.  The healthcare professional is entitled to attend the accredited activity only once.

8.  Hours obtained by the healthcare professionals should be during the statutory period for the purpose of registration renewal or promotion.

9.  All of the above applies to attend the activities undertaken outside the country, provided that the activity is conducted by a certified scientific health organization. The healthcare professionals should provide a certificate of attendance indicating the number of credit hours or attach the activity’s scientific program. In case the number of hours could not be obtained or indicated in the certificate, they will be calculated as maximum of 6 hours per day and shall not exceed 30 hours.

Article 14: Required Hours of CPD Activities Needed for the Renewal of the Professional Registration of the Different Health Categories:

Category	Required Hours			Details
	1 year	3 years	5 years
Doctors and Dentists	40 Hours for Doctors and Dentists	120 Hours for Doctors and Dentists	200 Hours for Doctors and Dentists	Category 1: Minimum of 28 hours per year. Included types of activities: conferences, symposiums, workshops, specialized training courses, authoring a book or scientific publication, and review of research articles. Category 2: Maximum of 12 hours per year. Included types of activities: internal activities, distance learning, and panel discussions, and general workshops.
Pharmacists	25 Hours for Pharmacists	75 Hours for Pharmacists	125 Hours for Pharmacists	Category 1: Minimum of 15 hours per year. Included types of activities: conferences, symposiums, workshops, specialized training courses, authoring a book or scientific publication, and review of research articles. Category 2: Maximum of 10 hours per year. Included types of activities: internal activities, distance learning, and panel discussions, and general workshops.
Nurses	20 Hours for Specialists and Consultants	60 Hours for Specialists and Consultants	100 Hours for Specialists and Consultants	Category 1: Minimum of 12 hours per year. Included types of activities: conferences, symposiums, workshops, specialized training courses, authoring a book or scientific publication, and review of research articles. Category 2: Maximum of 8 hours per year. Included types of activities: internal activities, distance learning, and panel discussions, and general workshops.
Technicians	10 Hours for All Professional Groups	30 Hours for All Professional Groups	50 Hours for All Professional Groups	Category 1: Minimum of 6 hours per year. Included types of activities: conferences, symposiums, workshops, specialized training courses, authoring a book or scientific publication, and review of research articles. Category 2: Maximum of 4 hours per year. Included types of activities: internal activities, distance learning, and panel discussions, and general workshops.
Other Applied Medical Professions	20 Hours for Specialists and Consultants	60 Hours for Specialists and Consultants	100 Hours for Specialists and Consultants	Category 1: Minimum of 12 hours per year. Included types of activities: conferences, symposiums, workshops, specialized training courses, authoring a book or scientific publication, and review of research articles. Category 2: Maximum of 8 hours per year. Included types of activities: internal activities, distance learning, and panel discussions, and general workshops.

 

Article 15: Categories Exempted from Obtaining CPD Hours:

1.  Healthcare professionals enrolled in postgraduate programs.

2.  Health assistants with health assistant course.

3.  Optometrists.

4.  Health management technicians.

5.  Medical records technicians.

6.  Medical secretaries.

7.  Technicians of medical equipment and health monitoring.

8.  Environmental technicians.

9.  Doctors and other health groups who are not in practice.

 

Article 16: General Instructions:

1.  The concerned authority is entitled to accredit a number of hours based on what was approved by the specialized committee and not necessarily the organizer’s submitted application.

2.  The concerned authority has the right to decline incomplete applications or those received after the indicated deadline date of submission.

3.  The activity organizers are not permitted to announce the activity submitted for approval before final accreditation by the concerned authorities in the countries.

4.  The concerned authorities in each country is only responsible for the accreditation of the activity and is not responsible for sending letters on behalf of any other party to invite lecturers from outside the country, and so on.

5.  In case of violation by the organizers of what is stated in this list of regulations, the concerned authorities in each country are entitled to take appropriate action about it and cancel the accreditation of the organizing party if necessary.